Fireworks and dry conditions, not a good combination

Eureka, MO (KSDK) - It's still very hot and dangerously dry, which makes it a bad combination for Independence Day. To be safe, many communities have cancelled their firework displays, but people can still buy fireworks at tents.

Firework stands have been busy and will only get busier Tuesday night into the Fourth of July.

Barthelmas is concerned about the dry, brittle grass and hopes that people will use common sense this holiday.

"The wind blows through that dries it out, the sun dries it out and the heat dries it out," he says.

Barthelmas says in his 20 years of being in the firefighting business, he's never seen it so dry. Neither has Mary Corbett, a Fireworks City stand manager.

"The attitude has been a serious attitude and it's been very respectful and responsible," Corbett says of her buyers.

Corbett says she takes her job seriously and understands that the conditions aren't perfect, but she still wants people to be able to have fun and offers these tips to buyers.

"Everything stands level that they are shooting and to have a hose ready a bucket of water ready, don't shoot anywhere where you can't get access to water in a hurry," she suggests.

Taylor Wakeland is buying a cart full of firecrackers for her aunt's annual display.

"She might not do as many this year and bottle rockets she probably won't do anything like that," says Wakeland who understands the conditions and so does the Thurman family who's cutting way back this year.

"We are picking up some smoke bombs and sparklers, things that are not going to go up in the air," says Anita Thurman.

Overall it seems that customers are going to make it work this year, but in a responsible and respectful manner.

Fireworks City is trying to be proactive about the potentially dangerous situation by not selling rockets to Missouri residents. Corbett says rockets sometimes land hot, which may be a problem in dry grass.